Automatic railway-signal



(No Model.)

A. B. SNYDER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Sept. 11 1888.

WIT/M8858:

N. PETERS. Pnmum n am. wmimm 11c ATENT @FFICEQ ABRAHAM B. SNYDER, OFLOUISVILLE, OHIO.

AUTCJMATIO RAILWAYHSIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,258, datedSeptember 11, 1888.

(No model.)

$0 mil whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ABRAHAM B. SNYDER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Louisville, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticRailway-Signals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, in which Figure l is aside elevation, showing parts in section. Fig. 2 is a top view.

The present invention has relation to automatic railway-signals; and itconsists in the different parts and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings,A represents a pivoted or hinged barlocated at the side of one ofthe railway-rails, substantially as shownin the drawings. To the free end of this pivoted or hinged bar A isattached the rock-bar B. Said rock-bar is securely held in properposition by means of the bearings a a. Said bearings are securely heldto the block 0 or its equivalent in any convenient and wellknown manner.The rock-bar B is provided with the arm or crank b, the free end ofwhich has pivotally attached the bar D. The opposite end of the bar I)is pivotally attached to the plunger E. The air-cylinder F may besubstantially of the form shown in the drawings, and is located at theside of the track proper. Within the air-cylinder F is located theplunger E, which is substantially of the form shown in Fig. 1. Thisplunger is so adiusted that it will draw air into the cylinder F andforce air as hereinafter described. Between the plunger E and theshoulders I; is located the helical spring G, which is for the purposeof forcing the plunger E backward or away from the shoulders c aftersaid plunger has been released.

To the cylinder F is attached the inlet-valve I, which may beconstructed in the ordinary manner.

The opening K is provided for the passage of air into the cylinder F,and may be located as illustrated in Fig. 2; or said opening may, ifdesired, be located at one'side of the valve. For the purpose ofpreventing dirt from being drawn into the cylinder,the opening K shouldbe protected by a suitable screen.

To one end of the cylinder F is attached the conduit L, which extendsalong the side ofthe railway-track to the place where it is desired tolocate a signal, and, if desired, said pipe may be under ground.

The cutoff valve (1 may be located substantially as shown in thedrawings, and is for the purpose of holding air in the conduit L afterit has been forced from the cylinder F by means of the plunger E. Thesignal end of the conduitLis bent or curved upward,as illus trated inFig. 1, and may extend to any desired height. To the top or upper end ofthis bent or curved portion of the conduit L is attached the cylinder M,which may be sub stantially of the form shown in Fig. 1.

\Vithin this cylinder M is located the valve 6, which has securelyattached thereto the rod or barf, which extends up through the top ofthe cylinder M. To the top or upper end of this rod or barf is attachedthe nut g, which is for the purpose of holding the valve 6 in theposition shown in Fig. 1 when the airpressure is normal. Around the rodor bar f is located the helical springh, the ends of which press againstthe valve 6 and the cylinder M. To one side of the cylinder M isattached the pipe i, and to the outer endof this piped is at tached thewhistle N. This whistle is preferably located from one hundred to threehundred feet away from the highway. In use, as a train of cars passesover the barA the wheels will press said bar downward, thereby forcingthe plunger E forward by means of the rockbar B, thus contracting thehelical spring G and at the same time forcing air into the con duit Lthrough the check-valve d, and as soon as a wheel has left the bar A thespring G will react, thereby pushing the plunger E backward andelevating the bar A; and as the plunger moves backward air will be drawninto the cylinder F, and as the next wheel passes over the bar A the airwill be forced through the valve (1, the operations being substantiallythe same as in an ordinary airpump. As the air is compressed or forcedinto the conduit L it will press against the Valve 6, elevating orforcing said valve past the opening in the pipe 5, when the air is freeto enter and sound the whistle N, thereby indicating the approach of atrain. It will be understood that the strength of the helical spring hmay be increased or decreased, so as to regulate the pressure of air inthe conduit L, thereby holding or confining compressed air in said pipeat all times, so that the whistle will sound as the wheels strike thepivoted or hinged bar A. As the train leaves the signal the bar A willbe forced away from the railway-rail by means of the wheels pressingagainst the angular portion of said bar A. This bar A is automaticallyreplaced by means of the springjj. It will be understood that a signalis to be placed upon each side of a street.

The pivoted end of the bar A is provided with the elongated slot k,which is for the purpose of allowing said bar to move back and forth thedistance traveled in operating the rock-bar B. The free end of thepivoted or hinged bar should extend about two inches above the top ofthe railway-rail. It will be understood that the springsjj should beproperly housed or covered, so as to protect them from snow, ice, ordirt, said housing or covering being so constructed as not to interferewith the longitudinal or lateral movements of the bar A. The length ofthe crank is so adjusted that it will give the plunger E the desiredlength of stroke.

To the open end of the cylinder F is attached the elastic packing Z,which surrounds the plunger E, and is held in proper position by meansof the cap n. The cap it is held in proper position by means of theset-screws 0. Said cap is adjusted from time to time as the packingbecomes worn.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the hinged bar A, connections B b D, aircompressing cylinder F, signal N, and a conduit, L, between saidcylinder and signal, of the check-valve d and valve 6, for maintainingaconstant pressure in the conduit, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed myname inthe presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAH B. SNYDER.

Witnesses:

L. O. Wrsn, FRED W. Bonn.

